About Us
Our Story
The Youth Leadership Academy of Napa was born from a deeply personal experience of our founder, Megan Dominici. When her son was applying for a leadership program in high school, Megan reflected on the message a student might receive if they were denied a spot: Are my skills not valued? Am I unable to make a difference? Am I not a leader? She wanted every student to know they are more than enough to create meaningful change in the world, so she set out to build a program that instills that confidence in every participant.
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Megan realized that leadership is often portrayed as something to be achieved—a role reserved for a select few. Too often, when asked to describe a leader, people imagine someone loud, outgoing, and charismatic. This narrow stereotype creates barriers for students who don’t fit that mold.
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Through years of leadership experience, Megan and the Youth Leadership Academy team have come to understand that every student has the potential to be a powerful leader by leveraging their own unique strengths. The introverted student who avoids the spotlight may be the one with a brilliant idea that transforms a group. Leadership is not simply a title or skillset—it is a choice, a way of showing up that can impact every area of a person’s life.
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YLA of Napa is privileged to be supported by the Patrick Savage Memorial Corporation, a nonprofit dedicated to carrying forward Patrick’s passion for service and leadership. Like Patrick, we believe nobody is incapable of creating impact. We have set out to challenge one of the greatest obstacles young people face: the belief that they don’t fit the mold of a “typical leader.” Our mission is to shatter that myth and help students discover their authentic leadership potential.
Our Mission and Journey
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Our mission is simple: to teach students to lead with confidence, character, and compassion—because leadership lives in everyone. No one should ever go through life believing that the qualities that make them unique aren’t enough to create genuine impact.
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This mission first came to life through our original Summer Leadership Program. Designed as a one-week intensive experience, it offered middle school students the chance to explore leadership beyond the traditional mold. Through fun, engaging activities, team-building exercises, and guided reflection, students discovered that leadership isn’t about huge actions or getting noticed—it’s about recognizing and applying their unique strengths to make meaningful change.
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The Summer Program was our first step, proving that young people are eager for leadership experiences that value who they truly are. Watching students grow in confidence and connect deeply with peers and mentors reaffirmed our belief that leadership development must be inclusive, empowering, and personal.
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Looking ahead, we are excited to build on this foundation with expanded offerings, including our new after school leadership programs and workshops. Our vision is to reach more students from diverse backgrounds and schools, creating a vibrant, interconnected community of leaders—young and old—across California. By broadening our reach, we aim to spread the message that leadership can come from anywhere, when given the right opportunities and support to grow.
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Our team is passionate to continue finding new ways to build the leadership education opportunities for young people and if you are interested in helping check out the link below to see how!
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